Valve cut-off indicator for locomotives



BEST AVAILABLE cop.

Nov. 16, 1937. A. R. BOND VALVE CUT-OFF INDICATOR FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed April 9, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR A. R. 80 BY MU V IH I I LUHH IH l Hi H "I L IUHHI HHH ATTORNEY BEST AVAILABLE COPS Nov. 16, 1937. A. R. BOND 2,099,100 VALVE CUT-OFF INDICATOR FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed April 9. 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 16, 1937 BESTAVAILABLE com "PATENT "OFFICE means for indicating actual cut oii settings with linqther 'ob ject oi the'jinv'ention is to provide means ior on a'curve indicating actual cut oiif settings with respect to a base line 1 indicating proper'cut'oii settings to give maximuu ar w'liat l J Y v "A furtherobjector, the 'invention'is to provide on the same chart fan'd in correlationj' with the actual weeri un mme erepm m s give h '01 newsman-1 a s mci we tmhein a to .zn sv lect i a .e u ns "means 1 p od i 's'; l1 sp edzandcutrofli '1'; f

u other objects. 1!, the invention will appear in the following; description ci a preferred embodif'n entand'thereaiter thenovelty and scopeoi the i invention will be pointed out in the In. thefaccompanyingdrawings;

Figure ,1 is a i'ragm'entaliviewot a locomotive equippedwith my improved cut-oil and speed indicatingmeansf I f j Fig. "2 isa somewhat diagrammatic view,jpartly in section eaemuen larger scale,'ot an electrical generator directly driven by a traction .wheel of -a locomotive and a transformer energized thereby.' with control means for modifying the a secondaryyoltage of the transformer in' accordance with the cut-oi! setting; U 4

Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation oi'an indicating and recording instrument withtheicasing ,thereof partly broken away to reveal interior details; 1 a Fig. 4 is a view in section taken on the line 4-4 oiF s- Fig. 5 is ai'ragmental view of .a record made by said instrument; and t a Fig. 6 is a diagram of electrical circuits em- 46rl eda 7 It is well-known in the art thatior any given speed ot'alocomotive there is a particular set- -ting of the cut-oi! valve which will give maximumdraw bar pull. The efllcient operation of a 50 locomotive consists in regulating, the cut-oil to give maximumdrawbar pull when starting and at its maximum draw bar pull.

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assigno'r to Aprils, 19e4.;seasm.'-11eee i-The present instrument is adapted to give the locomotive-engineer a guide as to the prop r cuteoflwto employ. To this end it embodiesan instrument in the cab of the locomotive having a dial on which there is a zero point, and a cut-ofl 5 pointer 'movable'with respect to said -:point.

Movement of this indicator is controlled not only by the actual setting of the cut-off valve. but

also by the speed of the locomotive and the ratio Y is such that it the engineer operates the reverse 1o lever in such manner as to hold the pointer on the zeromark he will vbe driving-the locomotive 11, however, the pointer departs from this zero setting in one direction-it indicates that he is economizing 15 steam-whereas movement in the other direction indicates waste of steam: The instrument also jmakes'a record oi'the actual "cut-oil? settings with respect tothe maximum power line .ande;

simultaneously makes a record or the distance 20 I travelled and variations of speed in the travel of the locomotive so that at the end or a run the record will show just how efilciently thCIlOCO- motive was operated. I v V 1 As shown in Fig."- 1, the locomotive i 0 is pro- 25 vided' with the usual valve gear indicated generally-"by the reference numeral H.

r This valve gear is controlled by the usual operating cylinder' it or other'means' under control of a reverse lever or hand wheel H in the cab ii'oi. 30 the locomotive. Alsoin the cab of thelocomotive .is an indicating and recording instrument I! whichis shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4; This instrument is electrically actuated and the current for operating the instrument is supplied by 3 a generator I 8 which has a traction wheel 20 that bears on a locomotive wheel 2|.

end the generator and its traction disk 20 are To this locomotive onits rails and to this end the disk '20 may bear against any locomotive wheel that .on the rails. single phase 'A. C. induction type with an excit- The generator I! is or the ing coil 25 which is energized from any suitable source 01' direct current, such, for instance, as so the auxiliary D. C. generator usually provided on locomotives, but indicated in the diagram conventionally as a battery 28.

, Referring now to the instrument shown in Figs. 3 and 4 it will be observed that it comprises a V the same as it is being marked by the speed stylus and the cut-oil stylus as will be explained pres ently. l '3;

The speed stylus is indicated at 43. It -is ear rled by an arm 44 dependingfrom a rack} which slides lengthwise in a'dire ctiori transyei s to that of the tape. This rack is suitably supported in a bracket 48 and has an" upwardly'pro jecting arm 48 which is secured to the sliding...

core 49 of a solenoid 50. A spring iinori iially urges thecore '49 outwardly and when =the solenoid SO'is energized the core Is -pull w dly against-the pressure o'f the spring to anilextent determined the "degree of. energlzation of the 00; 1 =1 1.3%. -I-.I.-::- L11 ,1.

' A shaft 53 is disposed transversely to therack and is suitably mounted'to rotate in the brackct'46. A pinion 54'flxeds-on-"thls shaft .meshes with the rack 45'." Fixed upon theforwardend of shaft Si -is a hand which-is swung-in front of a dial 58 bytherack 45. This dial is;-calibrated at 59 -in-.mlles:,per hour. or any other suitable units of speed. 'Anarcuate window 60 is formed in the front wallof' the casing SI of the instrument to permit of observing :the'movement of the hand 56. Another window 62 is provided in the lower part of thefront :wall of the casing .,to reveal .the dial 83 of an odometer 64. Thelatt'er is driven by a belt from a. suitable element of the step-down gearing 3i.---,-.--,-.

In addition to theuspeedcalibrations-on .the dial .58 there is another set:,of-.calibrations indicated by the reference numeral iii-and havinga zero mark in the vertical axis of the dial., .Qver this diaLmoves-a pointer 68;.which is-connected to a .sleeve 69 freely rotatableon .the. shaft 53. This pointer is actuated by a solenoid 10 which. like thesolenoid. 50,- is :provided with .a. sliding plunger- 1i normally pressed outward by a spring I2. This plungeris connected to a rack 13 which slides in'the bracket 46 and engages a-plnion .14 fixed upomthe sleeve 60. Thus. by variations in the pullof. the-solenoid 10. the pointer 6 8 ,.will be moved in one direction or-the other. Depending from the rack 13 is an arm 15 which carries a cutoff stylus 16 hearing on the tape'34 in front of the platen 40. Y

Referring now to Fig. 2, it willbe observed that adjacent the generator I 9 there is a transformer l8-comprising a primary coil 19 and a secondary .cOil 80. The transformer is provided with a slidable core 8i whici i-is normally'pressed outwardly or to the right. as viewed in Fig. 2, by means of a spring 82.

An inspection of the diagram of electrical connections in Fig. 6, shows that the outputcircuit 84 of the generator I! includes in series the motor 80, the solenoid 50 and the primary coil 19 of the transformer 18. The secondary coil is connected by suitable conductors 85 to the solenoid i0.

The operation of the apparatus, as so far described, is as follows: The generator i9 produces current which varies in potential in proportion to kmovement of the hand is controlled by the sole- BEST AVAiLABLE com the speed of the generator. Since this speed is dependent upon the speed of the locomotive we have an output of potential which is proportional to the speed of the locomotive. The motor 30 is also variable in speed in proportion to the potentlal impressed thereon and consequently it will drive the tape 34 at a speed which will be in direct ratio to that of the locomotive. This tape, as shown in Fig. 5, is provided with transverse lines.M indicating miles; or other units of distance and the length of the marking made by either of the styluses on the tape will indicate the distance traveled. The speed of the locomotive will-be-;indicated by the hand 56 because the noidfiil and the pull of this solenoid will vary in proportiontovariations of output of the genera- 1-"19. Consequently, the stylus- 43 will move trausversely,..across the tape producing a speed curve. 0n this tape, as indicated in Fig. 5, longitudinal lines S indicate miles per hour or any iot -su a ae ta es tt at ai of the locomotiveat.vari uspoints inits travel will be d 31;. 1-;

The movement .of'the cut-off s'tyius is also affeeted by thespeedof the locomotive because its movementis controlled lay the solenoid 10 which receives its power inductively through thetransformer 18 from the generator I 9. Consequently as the speed of the locomotive varies, the stylus "i8 and also the hand; 68 'wouldtend. to 'move to .anextent proportionalto the movement of the speed hand 58. but in opposite direction because of the opposite location of the solenoids. However, the power of the solenoid'lilrnay be modiiied by moving the core 8 i in and outof the transformer l8 and thus it"will .be .evident that by proper movement of said core the pointer 58 may be brought. to and maintained at the'zero posi-.

tion. Such modification of the movement of .the pointer is eifected by providing a cain 81. which .bears against the outer end .offlthe' core 8i and limits'the extent or outward movement under p'ressure' of spring 82. The cam 81 'is co'nnected through suitable'gearing 88 including ar'ack 88 to the arn'i'9il which is fast on'th'e tumblingshaft '9! of the valve gear. The shape of thecam 81 is such that when the reverse ieverhas been ope'raied to the proper extent to adjust the-cut-off for maximum drawbar pull at the particular speed at which the engine is running at that instant, the core 8| will occupy suchfa position as to modify the current in'the secondary 80' and hence in the solenoid 10' to arr-extent which will bring the pointer 68 to the zero position.

In the operation, the engineman when starting operates the reverse lever to such an ex-- tentas to hold the pointer 68 on the zero mark. He will have to constantly manipulate the reverse lever to keep the pointer 68 at the zero setting, but as long as he does keep it at'this setting he is assured that he has adjusted the cut-off to the setting which will give him maximum draw bar pull throughout the acceleration of the locomotive. -When he has reached the desired speed he may advance the cut-off, permitting the pointer 68 .to depart from the zero position as far as possible without lowering the speed of the locomotive and he then knows that he is obtaining the maximum economy of steam. A record of his performance is kept by the stylus .16 which draws a cut-off curve with respect to a base line, indicated at X in Fig. 5. This base line indicates maximum draw bar pull and the departure of the actual cut-off from this base tion.

BEST AVAILABLE COPI line in either direction indicates the performance of the locomotive and the efficiency of the engineer in operating the same.

While I have described a preferred embodi ment of my invention it will be understood that this is to be taken as illustrative and not limitative of the invention and thatI reserve the right to make various changes in form, construction. and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the inven- I claim:

l. The combination, with the operating gear for the cut-ofl valve of a locomotive, of an electric generator driven by a track wheel of the locomotive and adapted to generate alternating current varying in potential in proportion to the speed of the locomotive, a movable needle. a solenoid adapted to move the needle. a transformer, electrical conductors connecting the generator and the primary coil of the transformer for energing said coil, electrical conductors connecting the secondary coil of the transformer and the solenoid for energizing the latter, a mov able core in the transformer, and means for mov- 1118 the core in accordance with the cut-oil settingsoastovarythe currentinthesecondary and hence the position of the solenoid thereby bringing the needle to a zero position at any speed of the locomotive when the cut-oi! is adlasted for maximum draw bar pull at such speed.

2. The combination with the operating gear I for the cut-off valve of a locomotive, of an electric generator driven by a track wheel of the locomotive and adapted to generate alternating current varying in potential in proportion to the surface speed of the locomotive, a movable needle, a solenoid adapted to move the needle in accordance with the potential of the current supplied thereto, a transformer, electrical conductors connecting the generator and the primary coil of the transformer for energizing said coil by said current, electrical conductors connecting the secondary coil of the transformer and the solenoid to energize the latter, a movable core in the transformer, and a cam controlling-the position of the core, said cam being operatively connected to said gear for movement in accordance with the cut-off setting, the contour of the cam being such as to modify the position of the core and thereby modify the current induced in the secondary and thus bring the needle to a zero position at any speed of the locomotive when the cut-oi! is adjusted for maximum draw bar pull at'such speed.

3. The combination with the operating gear for the cut-oi! valve of the locomotive, of an indicator, an electric controller for operating the indicator, means for supplying the controller with electrical energy for actuating the same, and means for varying said energy with respect to the speed of the locomotive and the cut-:oii settingsoaswbringtheindicatortoa zeroposition at any speed of the locomotive when the cut-oil. is adjusted for maximum draw bar pull at such speed.

4. The combination with the operating gear for the cut-off valve of a locomotive, of an alternating current generator driven by the rotation of a track wheel of the locomotive and having an electrical energy output variable with the track speed of said wheel, a movable indicator, an electrical actuator therefor, a transwhen the cut-oil is adjusted for maximum draw bar pull at such speed.

5. The combination with the operating gear for the cut-off valve of a locomotive, of an alternating current generator driven by the rotationof a track wheel of the locomotive and having an electrical energy output variable'with the track speed of said wheel, a movable indicator, an electrical actuator therefor, a transformer having a primary coil energized by said output of the generator and a secondary coil electrically connected to the actuator to energize the same, a core movable in the transformer to modifythe current induced in the secondary coil, and means for moving the core in predetermined ratio to the cut-off setting so as to bring the indicator toazeropositionatanyspeedofthelocomotive when the cut-oi! is adjusted for maximum draw bar pullat such speed.

6. The combination with the operating gear for the cut-oi! valve of a locomotive, of an alterna'ting current generator driven by the rotation of a track wheel of the locomotive and having an electrical energy output variable with the track speed of said wheel, a movable indicator, an electrical actuator therefor, a transformer having aprimary coil energized by said output of the generator and a secondary coil electrically connected to the actuatorto energize the same, a core movable in the transformer to vary the current induced in the secondary coil, a cam controlling movement of the core, and means for operating the cam in accordance with the cut-oi! setting, the contour of the cam being such as to vary the current induced in the secondary so as to bring the indicator to a zero position when the cut-off is adjusted for marimum draw bar pull at the instant speed of the locomotive.

7. A method of determining cut-off settings'of a locomotive with respect to maximum draw bar pull at various speeds, which method consists in generating a primary alternating electric current varying in value in proportion to the speed of the locomotive, producing a secondary current by induction from the primary current, varying the induction in predetermined relation to the cut-0K settings such that the secondary current will have a predetermined basic valuation for any speed of the locomotive if the cut-off is adjusted to produce maximum draw bar pull at said speed, and indicating any departures of the secondary current from said valuation as a reference point.

R. BOND. 

